On Ice
by Nocturne in C Moll
Summary: An alternate ending for Ep. 13, “Fated to Pretend.” Mick’s re-turning does not go as planned and Josef has to save Beth and Talbot by himself. In 4 parts.
1. Chapter 1

**On Ice — Part 1**

Josef loomed over Mick's prone body on the table and bit sharply into his own arm. He held the wound directly over Mick's mouth, letting the blood drip in steadily.

"Come on, Mick—rise and shine."

That should do it. He let his wound heal over and stood there, fists clenched, mouth set to break into a grin—waiting.

"Mick…Mick, c'mon, buddy," he prodded him. Nothing.

"Mick," he poked him repeatedly in the side, trying to quell the panic that was starting to rise. "This is not the time to lay around on the job. Get up!" he shouted. "You gotta go rescue your damsel in distress.

"MICK!"

Josef grabbed him by the collar and shook him, hard. No movement. No response. Just like Sarah…

"Mick," he whispered. "No…"

He desperately pressed his ear up against Mick's chest, hoping for a heartbeat he knew would not—could not—be there. Anything, any sign of life—not dead or undead.

"NO! Not again!" Josef dropped Mick and slammed his fist on the table so hard it cracked in half, sending Mick's body tumbling to the floor in a tangle of limbs and splintered wood. In a split second, he'd snatched Mick back up and carried him upstairs.

He laid Mick gently to rest in his freezer and stared down at his still form. "I failed you, Mick—but I won't let Beth down. I'll save her, for you. I'll take care of her. And I promise you—I will never turn her."

With that valediction, Josef closed the freezer over his best friend and laid a hand on the lid for a minute, head bowed in a silent tribute. Then he lifted his head, eyes white and narrowed, and let out a long, deadly roar. Eye for an eye. He was downstairs in the next moment seizing a small cache of weapons before rushing off, a blur into the night.

* * *

Anders paced the room as two of his associates sampled some of his merchandise. He looked over to contemplate his two captives. The blonde, the AO-, he would drain and sell off in pints. Or, maybe… He licked his lips. If he kept her captive and alive—"on ice," so to speak—and took her blood over time, it'd mean more in the long run. She certainly was delicious. He looked over at the man blindfolded and tied to the girl and curled his lip disdainfully. He was a common O+, of little use for his business purposes, but he couldn't have him exposing his business and his non-human status. He shrugged. No need to keep him alive—but first he needed to know what he knew and who he'd told—and maybe enjoy a meal, however plebeian.

Just as he was about to go over and interrogate his dinner, the door exploded off its hinges and flew into the room.

The vampires all snapped into fighting stances—with the exception of Anders, who froze behind a counter. Beth and Talbot both startled, trying to look around despite their blindfolds.

Josef stepped slowly through the empty doorframe, filled with cold rage. The vampires could feel it radiating from him like a strong wind, but the humans were essentially in the dark as to the source—and intent—of the commotion.

"Wh-what's going on?" Talbot called tentatively.

Josef ignored the humans and stared the vampires down.

"Anders!" He yelled in a rage. "Which one of you is Anders?"

_Josef_, Beth thought with some relief at the familiar voice. _It's Josef! Mick must be okay then, because Josef wouldn't have known where to come otherwise. Maybe Josef wouldn't let Mick come, because he's human_…

Anders's two cronies quickly pointed him out to the intruder. Anders didn't pay them nearly enough to take on a seriously pissed-off vamp that was at least twice their ages combined. No way.

Their cooperation did not go unpunished. No sooner had they identified Anders than they were pumped full of silver bullets and staked.

Josef slowly turned to face Anders, who was cowering in the corner looking around wildly at the carnage, and stalked toward him. "You!" He growled. "You bastard! Because of you, my best friend made me kill him!" He stopped in his tracks and inhaled deeply, feeding off Anders's fear. His eyes rolled back in his head in pure predatory pleasure. Then he looked into the eyes of his prey and lunged.

In one leap he had near flown to Anders's side. Anders tried to get up and run around him, but Josef was much faster. Anders found himself pinned to the wall, impaled on a long, sharp stake. Josef bared his fangs and bit viciously into Anders's shoulder. Anders roared in pain. Josef grinned at him with bloody fangs, then slowly pulled a machete out of his jacket, purposefully brandishing it in front of him before he separated Anders's head from his body.

In a split second, Josef was kneeling beside Beth. He gently pulled the blindfold off, then snapped the ties around her wrists. Beth threw her arms around him. "Josef—thank you," she breathed and searched his face. "But where's—"

"I'm so sorry, Beth," he gulped, tears streaming down his face. "I tried."

Beth paled and grabbed at his shirt. "Josef," her voice shook, "what do you mean—what do you mean, 'you tried'?" She cupped his cheek. "Where's Mick?" she whispered.

Josef couldn't look her in the eye. "Mick…he wanted to save you…I showed him he couldn't do it as a human. He-he begged me to turn him back," he squeezed his eyes shut tight but a tear slipped out, "So I did—I tried—but it was like Sarah!" He let out a half-sob, "He didn't wake up, Beth, he didn't wake up, and I'm so sorry!"

Beth sat back, her eyes wide with shock. She couldn't speak. Mick couldn't be gone. Suddenly Josef grasped onto her so tightly she could barely breathe. "Mick loved you. He wanted you to be safe," he said fiercely and pulled back to look at her. "That's why I came. I failed him, but I won't fail you. I'll protect you now. Mick would have wanted it."

"Mick…" Beth squeaked, tears finally running in rivulets down her cheeks. Josef pulled her into his embrace again and together they mourned their friend, ignoring Talbot who was still squirming around in his restraints.


	2. Chapter 2

**On Ice **— **Part 2**

Josef led Beth out to his sports car and seated her in the front, then pulled out his phone and made a call to the Cleaner to get the mess at Anders' dealt with immediately. He knew they wouldn't be able to put Talbot off for long before he called SWAT over to the place. He sighed deeply. He'd take care of Mick himself…later. He didn't know if keeping him like Sarah was an option, or even if Mick would want that. But right now, he wanted nothing but to think of something else. Luckily, for the moment, he had someone else to deal with. He shut Beth's door and returned for the still-blindfolded Talbot.

"Who are you? What's going on? Where are you taking me?"

"You don't get to play 20 Questions with your knight in shining armour," Josef snapped. He wasn't really in much of a mood for his usual friendlier version of snark.

He pulled Talbot's blindfold off when they got to his red convertible. "It's not exactly a white horse, Talbot—but I trust you won't complain." Beth got out to let Talbot into the back, then reclaimed the front seat.

Talbot watched Josef as he walked around the car and got into the driver's seat.

"I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage. Who are you?" He tried again.

"Wrong. I have you at a severe disadvantage. I could kick your ass at any time, whether you know my name or not." Josef started the car and sped out of the parking lot.

"You're Josef Kostan, aren't you. The businessman," said Talbot, finally recognizing him.

"And it's a gold star for the public servant! Yes, I'm Josef Kostan—at your service. Although, seeing as I just saved your ass, I think you ought to be at my service—Benjamin Talbot."

"Thanks," Talbot said, holding out his hand. "For rescuing us, I mean."

Josef ignored Talbot's hand. "I was actually there for Blondie here; you were only saved because of your proximity to her. But I accept your gratitude."

"—I don't understand, though," Talbot scowled slightly. "What was a big-time businessman doing rescuing a reporter and a district attorney from a psychotic plastic surgeon's office? How did you know we were even there, much less how to take care of Anders and his goons single-handedly?"

"With age comes wisdom and power, my friend." Josef kept his eyes on the road.

Talbot furrowed his brow. "It sounded like a cross between World War III and Wild Kingdom in there!"

"Fights to the death _do_ tend to get a little noisy."

"You _killed_ them?" Talbot shouted.

Josef winced. "Not so loud, I have sensitive ears. And yes, although the goons, as you called them, are not dead quite yet; they will be shortly. I would have thought all the gunshots would have rendered this less surprising. Anders," Josef bared his teeth, "Anders is dead for sure." He shrugged and smiled. "I admit that was a little bit of revenge." Josef tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "He caused a lot of trouble."

"You couldn't have just tied them up like they had us and waited for the police? Or called the police yourself instead of being a…a cowboy, coming in with guns blazing?" Talbot was incredulous.

Josef snorted. "First of all, did you or did you not want to be rescued? Second of all, you must really have something against the police. What, did they give you too many parking tickets or something?"

Talbot was confused. "What? No. I just wanted to see those bastards rot in jail for what they did. Not that I don't appreciate what you did, but for them to die at the hands of some…vigilante…doling out capital punishment..."

"You have no authority to dispense justice over them. I do. And they would have killed the police, had I secured them the way you would have wanted me to."

"Excuse me?"

Josef didn't elaborate.

"Does this have anything to do with—" Talbot stopped and started again. "—Did I hear you say something to Beth about Mick not being _human_? I mean, I thought it was just my concussion talking, but—"

Josef suddenly did a sharp U-turn and accelerated towards a freeway entrance.

"Where are we going?" Beth asked, concerned.

"Le Brea." Josef said curtly.

"Josef! You can't _kill_ him!"

"I guess it would be rather rude and fickle to rescue him only to turn around and kill him," Josef mused wryly. "But he knows too much."

"Uh, I'm right here!" Talbot reminded them loudly from the backseat. "Do I get any say at all in my fate?"

"Perhaps," Josef answered. "Do you have a preference for the method used to kill you?"

"Er…I meant," Talbot said with a nervous edge, "What if I promise not to reveal what I…know? You did save my life, after all. And you killed some very bad guys, which, while I can't condone it, admittedly doesn't cause me too much grief." He paused. "Besides, I don't really 'know' what you think I know…too much…of…exactly."

Josef pulled the car over to the side of the road and turned to stare at Talbot. Talbot uncomfortably tried to melt into the seat. Josef had never looked directly at Talbot for long thus far—insignificant human—but if Talbot was nervous before with the rush of the rescue and the talk of killing him, his heart rate was indicating that he was really nervous now.

"What do you think, Beth," Josef inquired, keeping his eyes on Talbot, "can we trust the safety of the community to this guy?"

Before Beth could offer an opinion, Talbot protested, "I'm a district attorney—the safety of the community is my job!"

Josef rolled his eyes. "The human community, sure. But that is not my concern."

"Josef," Beth interrupted, "perhaps he could help the community. Just like how I've sometimes spun stories to protect the community's secret. It could be valuable to have someone in the district attorney's office."

"So…" Talbot let out a shaky breath, "you're saying you aren't human? And neither is Mick? And there are more of you—like Anders and his guys…were? "

"Yes, yes, and yes."

Talbot swallowed. "What are you?"

Josef cocked an eyebrow. "If I told you, I'd almost definitely have to kill you."

"Yeah, well," Talbot smiled weakly, "you seem pretty set on that anyway, so I might as well know what I'm dying for, right?"

"Brave," Josef commented, looking away. "But I haven't yet decided on you, human. Beth makes a good point."

"Uh…Beth, are you, um—?"

Josef turned back to Talbot. His face was pale and his irises were almost white. Talbot shrank back against the seat. He opened his mouth as if to speak or scream, but nothing came out.

Josef grinned, displaying his fangs. "No. Beth is not a vampire."


	3. Chapter 3

**On Ice — Part 3**

"A vampire. You're a vampire. I can't believe it."

"Just please do not tell me you would like a special hickey to prove it—because, if I have the option, I actually would prefer Mick's bagged morgue blood to feeding off a human male. It's just kinda…_icky_. I admit I bit Anders, but that was the vampire equivalent of making him my bitch."

Talbot actually giggled. "I just—I can't wrap my mind around this, you know? Vampires exist. I'm sitting in a convertible with a vampire. I think my head's gonna implode."

"Not in the Ferrari, please!" Josef groaned. "I just had it detailed! So help me, Talbot, if you get your brain guts all over my car, I will have no scruples whatsoever about tossing you into the tar pits."

"Okay, okay, I'll try and keep it together." Talbot then made a concerted effort to compose himself, taking a couple of deep breaths. He cleared his throat. "So, wait, Beth—that story you covered on the college professor and his TA, were they really vampires?"

Beth smiled wanly. "No, but that was how I met a real one, though I didn't know it at the time. Mick. He was always disappearing on me." She shook her head and clenched her fists. "Drove me _crazy_…" She trailed off with a wistful look on her face.

"That professor was a pathetic poser wannabe that called himself a vampire, not knowing that true vampires existed and that he was pissing them off with his little game." Josef's fangs flashed in a brief grin. "Mick straightened him out. Wish I could have been there to see the look on his face…"

Talbot nodded. "So…what about Mick? What happened to him today? Is he okay?"

Josef looked up at the sky. The stars were faint in L.A., even to his superior eyes. "Mick is basically in a coma…and I have little hope that he'll come out of it. In a nutshell, Mick took a compound temporarily rendering him human. When you and Beth were kidnapped by a vampire, he thought he could run in there, despite being disgustingly mortal, and still save the day by bringing all his weapons and going all Van Helsing on them. I proved him wrong by disarming him in about three seconds flat." Josef grinned sadly and continued, "Well, I made my point. And Mick, determined to save Beth at any cost"—tears started rolling down Beth's cheeks—"asked me to turn him back into a vampire. I tried, but it didn't work. Turnings aren't always successful. He didn't wake up again."

Josef looked down at his lap. "That's the second time that's happened to someone I love." Beth took Josef's hand, knowing he was thinking of Sarah. She could relate to Josef even more now. But it made it even harder for her, knowing that Mick had sacrificed his humanity—however temporary—and tried to become a vampire again, which he hated, just to save her. And now he might never wake up.

"I'm sorry," Talbot said. Josef could tell he was sincere.

"Yeah, well—I'd better get you kids home." He started the car. "No tar pits for you tonight."

Beth smiled through her tears.

"Wait a second—just how old are you, anyway?" Talbot inquired suddenly.

Josef smiled as he slammed his foot down on the accelerator, sending both Beth and Talbot reeling against their seats. "Me? Oh, I'm 26." He paused and glanced in the rearview mirror, watching as Talbot regained his balance, seeming disappointed, then dropped the bombshell. "…Give or take 383 years or so."

Talbot's eyes bugged out of his head. "You're _three hundred and eighty-three_ years old?!"

"No, that's how long I've been a vampire. I was turned when I was 26. So, actually, I'm 409," Josef smirked.

"Seriously. You're serious."

"Seriously pissed I don't get to use a senior's discount. If anyone should qualify for one, it's me—is it fair to punish me just because I look _really_ good for my age?"

Talbot shook his head. "I have a lot of other questions," he began, "but I think they can wait."

"Thank you," Josef nodded. "By the way, where exactly am I delivering you to, Talbot?"

"Oh, right. Take a left on Sixth."

Ten minutes later, Josef parked in front of Talbot's apartment building. Before Talbot could get out of the car, he found his arm caught in a death grip. "I'm warning you, Talbot. Our existence must be kept secret at all costs. Just remember—I know where you live, and I'm fully capable of tearing your throat out with my bare hands before you can even blink. That, and I saved your life—twice, if you think about it, because I'm not killing you right now—so you kinda owe me. I'm trusting you."

Talbot nodded solemnly. "Got it. You can count on me. And thanks again."

Josef nodded. "We'll be in touch. Oh, and if there's ever any scum that you can't seem to find room for in the human justice system, let me know—I was cheated out of a trip to the tar pits tonight," he smirked.

"Right. Sure. I'll…keep that in mind." Talbot regarded him uneasily for a moment, then turned to walk towards the hi-rise.

"Oh, and Talbot—" Josef called after him. Talbot spun around on his heels but almost fell over backward—Josef was standing right there in front of him, grinning widely, showing off his fangs again. Talbot held a hand over his racing heart. "Geez, Kostan, you scared me! How did you get—oh, never mind, I know, I know…"

Josef's face suddenly morphed into a scowl. "Talbot, I've changed my mind about something…"

"What?" Talbot breathed, feeling his heart stop and plummet into his stomach.

"You seem like an intelligent, resourceful, pragmatic young man," he casually started brushing Talbot's lapels for him, "so I didn't think I needed to do this, but I can't take the chance…"

Talbot held his breath, his heart suddenly pounding in his ears.

"…I must tell you that if you decide to research anything about us on your own…_don't_ believe everything you read on the internet!" With that benediction, he straightened Talbot's lapel for him and sauntered, smirking, back to the car.

Talbot expelled the breath he was holding. "Geez…vampires like to keep you on your toes," he grumbled under his breath.

"That's right, we do—remember that, Talbot!" Josef yelled from the car.

Talbot's eyes went wide and his breath quickened. He kept an eye on one occupant of the car in particular as he hastily unlocked the door to his building, entered, and slammed it behind him.

Beth and Josef turned and grinned at each other until each of them had the same thought at the same time and their smiles faded. Neither of them would be telling Mick of this later.

They both sat staring at the dashboard for a few moments until Beth broke the silence.

"Josef, I want to see him," she said quietly.

Josef nodded reluctantly and put the car into drive.


	4. Chapter 4

**On Ice — Part 4**

Josef used his remote entry key to let him and Beth into Mick's penthouse and headed straight for the bar to pour himself a stiff drink, which he downed in one shot.

"Where is he?" Beth asked softly, broken.

"I put him in his freezer." Josef threw himself onto the couch. "Upstairs, gray door." Beth nodded once and dragged herself towards the stairs.

Josef couldn't go up there right now. Not again. Not yet. He couldn't see his best friend lying there as if he were about to wake up—like Sarah. Not when he wouldn't wake up—like Sarah. He'd turned others—why couldn't he seem to turn anyone he loved? He'd killed his girl and his best friend. He'd killed them—and not in the good way.

"I killed my girl and my best friend," Josef murmured out loud, his face crumpling in grief. He kept his eyes clamped shut, not wanting to look at anything that would remind him of Mick or of the turning gone wrong—but his nose that betrayed him.

"I can still smell him, it's like he's still here..." He heard Beth upstairs, struggling to lift the heavy freezer lid.

Wait a minute—it wasn't human Mick he smelled, it was vampire Mick. His brow furrowed. But Mick had been a human the last few days—the vampire smell should be stale by now.

Upstairs, Beth screamed. Josef's eyes snapped open and he jumped straight up off the couch, ready to bolt to her side.

Which he would have done, had Mick St. John not been standing right in front of him.

He froze. Beth rushed to the top of the stairs. "Josef, it's empty! He's not in his—"

Josef and Mick looked up at her.

"Mick?!" She gasped in disbelief and took a couple steps down the stairs. "Is it really you?"

"It's me, I'm okay. I'm a vampire again, but I'm okay," Mick smiled. He stretched out his hand to her. She ran down the rest of the stairs.

But instead of running into Mick's open arms, Beth charged straight at Josef. "You! You said he was dead!" she shrieked, slapping his face and pounding his chest with her fists. "Was this your idea of a sick joke?! I thought he was gone—forever!"

Josef, mouth still hanging open in shock, allowed her tirade, letting her hit and yell at him, until Mick came up behind her and pulled her off.

"Shh, Beth," Mick soothed her and held her close. Josef just stood there, mouth gaping.

"I thought he—I thought you—you were in a coma, Mick! Like Sarah. I thought you weren't going to wake up," Josef stuttered.

Beth looked up at Mick. Mick shrugged.

"I don't know what happened, man. I woke up in my freezer about 10 minutes ago and you were gone. I had no idea how I'd ended up in there, but I saw the weapons missing and figured you'd gone to take on Anders in my stead. So I went after you. But when I drove out of the parking garage, I saw your Ferrari parked on the street. I ran back up, and here you are.

"My only theory is that the cure must have delayed my regaining consciousness somehow after you re-turned me. Coraline only changed back into a vampire when she was dying as a human—I'd probably have bounced back faster had you just snapped my neck or something."

Beth burrowed deeper into Mick's embrace. "I'm just so glad you're alive," she whispered tearfully as he kissed her hair.

Josef just stood there, shaking his head in disbelief. "All that for nothing!"

"Pardon, Josef?" Mick raised an eyebrow.

"If I had waited two more hours, you could have gone and rescued Beth and that pansy, Talbot, while I sat on my ass and sipped a fine vintage, but nooooooo—you had to make me think you were comatose, and while I was off taking on three vamps at once and rescuing YOUR humans, you were tucked into your freezer, all nice and cold and having a pleasant little nap!"

Mick grinned. "Oh come on, are you saying you didn't have the least bit of fun?"

"Well…" Josef shrugged nonchalantly, but Mick could see the corners of his mouth struggling not to turn up. "It would have been more fun if you were there," he said so quietly even Mick's ears almost didn't pick it up.

"Oh, so you _did_ care when you thought I was in a permanent coma. Because from your little speech just now, I wasn't sure," Mick teased, taking the rare opportunity to force Josef to display some serious emotions.

"I…expressed regrets." Josef poked a speck of dust on the wall.

"He _cried_." Beth cut in in a loud whisper.

Josef glared at her. "So did you. But thanks. Thanks for that."

She grinned wickedly, then scowled back at him. "That was for making me think he was dead," she hissed.

Josef rolled his eyes. "What, the hitting and the yelling wasn't enough revenge for you? And didn't we just go over this? I really thought he _was_ dead, essentially. And, as you seem to be so conveniently forgetting, I was grieving, too—but no, that doesn't seem to matter to you, even after I rushed off to save your little human ass and ruined a perfectly good Armani suit in the process." He brushed invisible dirt off his suit jacket and groused, "That's the last time I rescue you, Blondie, whether Mick's alive, dead, or undead."

Beth grabbed Josef's hand and kissed him on the cheek.

Mick was grinning at the two of them. "Josef, you cried over me? Really?"

Josef rolled his eyes and gave an almost imperceptible nod.

"I cried over you too, man, that time I thought you were dead." He smiled at Josef and enveloped him in a masculine hug. "Thanks for re-turning me, brother. And for rescuing my Beth." He pulled back and clapped Josef on the shoulder. "I'll buy you a new suit."

"Yeah, you will," Josef grumbled. But he then smiled at his friend. "I'm glad you're not dead dead, Mick."

"Believe it or not," Mick said, "me too."

"…Because otherwise, who would we tell about Talbot?!"


End file.
